Money Well Spent
by Samsara Dallire
Summary: Mandy spends her savings on a worthy cause, but the investment turns out to be well worth the money. Nick and Mandy. Rated M for sexual content.


MONEY WELL SPENT

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the computer I wrote this on._**

**_Season: Nine_**

**_Pairing: Nick and Mandy_**

**_Prompt: Strip and Desire_**

**_Entry for Smut-A-Thon_**

**_BETAS: Smokey and Jacqui T- You guys rock! Title courtesy of Smokey!_**

The theme was gold and silver, the dollar store decorations cheesy but fitting. Ecklie had been trying to redeem the image of the LVPD in wake of McKeen's evil atrocities, so one of his first tasks was to hold a fundraiser to raise cash for Children's Rights Now, a local agency providing kids with legal representation in court when taken from abusive homes.

Sitting at a table with gold balloons in the middle, Mandy Webster placed her chin on her hand and muttered to Henry, her mercy date, "Can you tell me again, why I'm here?" Her voice droned with boredom.

"Because Ecklie gave us tickets and told us he needed bodies." Henry slouched back into the chair, boredom etched into his face.

Doc Robbins and his band were up on stage singing countless sixties tunes and many of the lab had taken to the floor.

Bobby asked Wendy to join him on the dance floor, with Hodges' permission of course, and away they went.

Mandy surveyed the room around them and noticed that Nick Stokes, dressed in a black tuxedo, was swaying away with Catherine, looking stunning as usual. She sighed again.

"You know," Hodges noticed her stare while pouring himself some water, "you might as well face facts."

Mandy threw a dirty look at him as he smiled. "He's just not that into you."

"What makes you think I'm even into him?" Mandy said while swallowing the disappointed look on her face.

"'Cause you've been staring at him all night," Jacqui moaned as the band finished up "A Little Less Conversation."

Doc Robbins announced to the partygoers that they would be taking a 15 minute break.

Mandy sipped her red wine and watched Nick and Catherine head back to their seats. She leaned over to Jacqui and whispered, "Are they an item?"

"Not as far as I know," Jacqui munched on a spring roll. "I think they both have a rule about dating in the workplace."

Feeling her heart drop, she mumbled, "I'm going to get some more wine." She stood up and almost stumbled, causing her cleavage to fall out of the plunging v-line of a black, silky jersey dress she had worn once and had planned to get rid of it as it was a size too small now. The waist fit just fine. The weight gain had been in her bosom.

"Careful there, you might give the men in this room an eyeful," Riley said as she walked by.

Mandy grabbed her evening bag and smiled. "I'm just headed over to the bar to get a drink."

"Oh, I'll walk with you," the statuesque woman said. She looked stunning in a ravishing red, twisted halter dress, her long, blonde hair done up an in bun with a spiral curl hanging down her coat-hanger shoulders and back.

Mandy felt like an ugly duckling next to her even though Henry had told her she looked awesome in the dress and she had been hit on by a number of cops.

Tonight she'd donned some hazel contact lenses and had her hair dresser put long, brown waves in. She was hardly recognizable, but Mandy was a frugal girl and never really spent much on clothes for work. Why should she? She worked in a lab all day and her choice of wear was whatever felt comfortable under the shapeless garment of a lab coat.

"Hey Nicky," she heard Riley say as she sauntered to the bar.

Mandy watched as Nick threw the young woman an appreciative gaze and they struck up a conversation about work matters, office space, and other things. Nick's eyes were lit up while he spoke with Riley, and his body language conveyed that he liked the scene very much.

The lab tech made her way to the bar. She smiled at the young bartender and ordered, "You know what? I was going to have another wine, but I think I'll have a Stella Artois."

"Mandy!"

The print tech whipped around and came face to face with a shocked Nick Stokes. Riley had moved on with her date of the evening, Greg Sanders, and they had headed back to the table to join Catherine.

"What's wrong?" Mandy asked as she turned around and began to pour her beer into a glass. She knew this wasn't a glamourous sight, but she didn't care. She needed to get good and drunk to absorb the pain of the evening.

Nick sidled up beside her and told the bartender he wanted the same before answering her question, "I didn't recognize you is all."

"Yeah that lab coat of mine wouldn't have gone with this dress." She sipped the beer before turning to him again.

"You look nice."

"Thanks;, it's rented. After Ecklie gave Cat the tickets and told us we _had_ to be here, I raced out and rented one," Nick said as he paid the bartender for his and then added a few bucks for her.

"Thank you," she said with surprise.

"No probs. So who are you here with?" Nick sipped the beer.

Mandy caught a whiff of his cologne and felt a stir. "Henry," she blipped.

"Oh yeah? I didn't know you two were going out. I'd heard rumours, but..." Nick said with a devilish wink.

Mandy smiled crookedly. "And that's all they are, rumours. No, we hooked up with Wendy and Hodges and Bobby and Archie and their dates and got ourselves a table." She faked bravado as her intestines coiled in and out of one another.

By now Doc and his band had hit the stage were finishing off Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack"_._

"Well, that's interesting to know," Nick said and set his beer on the table. "It's hard to date in this profession with all the hours we put in at the lab."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Mandy didn't mean to sound as frustrated as she felt. "And it's not like there's a great selection in this town."

Nick snorted. "Oh, I know all about it."

Doc announced they were slowing down the tempo and eased into the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream"_._

Mandy silenced the voice that was dying to ask Nick to dance by flicking a look over at her tablemates, but they all had hit the floor and were dancing away. Henry was nowhere to be seen.

"Care to dance with me, Miss Webster?"

Mandy looked at Nick, eyes wide, and before she could fully comprehend the question, her mouth did the work and answered, "Sure."

On the floor, Nick told her he would lead and slid one arm around her waist while another took her hand and away they swayed.

Mandy felt her heart pounding. She wasn't a bad dancer, but it had been a while and she mumbled as much to Nick who told her to simply follow him.

"You're not a bad dancer, dandy Mandy," Nick said, assuring.

"I've got a good leader," she answered, her face breaking into a wide smile.

"Thanks." His eyes were fixed and narrowed.

"What's wrong? Did I step on your foot?" she asked.

"Your eyes. I never noticed them before."

"Because I wear glasses, but these are coloured contacts," she answered. "Sorry to disappoint."

Nick shrugged, "Hey sometimes we've got to embellish on the good looks we've already got."

Flushing, Mandy answered, "And some of us already have them and don't need to do anything."

Now it was Nick's turn to be bashful and he laughed while ducking his head and pulled her closer to him. Mandy giggled gleefully and relished in the feel of his strong arms around her. Her heart beat so strongly she thought it was going to jump out of her chest and onto the stage in front of Doc Robbins. And if she didn't know better, she swore she could feel his hand on her back, dangerously close to her gluteus maximus. Mandy held her breath and decided not to bother checking, but even if she had, she wouldn't do anything about it.

Smiling at him, she felt her face heat up, noticing that even his cheeks were growing pink, and with his eyes fixed on hers, her own glued to his, momentarily it felt as if the rest of the room disappeared around them.

A tiny part of her mind whispered that he was holding her tighter and some unknown being seemed to be connecting them in a deep way. She forced herself to continue to stare at his chocolate browns, feeling her stomach dance like a Mexican bouncing bean.

Applause jarred them both as Nick's eyes seemed to grow wide with uneasiness. Cluing in, Mandy broke the tension with a smile, thanking him for the dance and telling him she had to get back to her date. Nick smiled faintly and repeated her line before dashing off back to Catherine.

Her head in the clouds, Mandy was oblivious to the curious stares of her tablemates until a voice shook her reverie.

"Well, well," Henry said, his eyes twinkling. "There you are. Have I lost my mercy date for the night?"

Still dazed, Mandy focused on maintaining casualness. "It was just a dance." _Oh, it was more than that._

"I don't know. That looked a bit too intense for a dance," Jacqui said. "I swore I saw his hand hovering near your ass."

Mandy sat up straight. "Was not."

"Was too." Wendy smiled. "You didn't notice?"

She was saved by a voice from the stage as Greg Sanders hopped onto the stage, filling in to be Master of Ceremonies as the one hired had called in sick.

"Evening folks!" He grabbed the mike and, "So now comes the time where we find out who the secret date will be and the bidding will begin. Now the name will be picked out of a hat and only the singletons at LVPD were selected, so wives, husbands no worries on your part." He flashed a Ryan Seacrest of a grin.

Greg brought out his fedora and began to rummage through before pulling out a piece of paper and laughing like a schoolboy. "Oh this is going to be good. The secret date is none other than our LVPD cowboy, Nick Stokes."

Mandy looked over at Nick and saw his face turn bright red as he leaned into Catherine wondering who the hell put his name in the hat. She winked and he glared, mouthing, "Thanks a lot!"

"So let the bidding begin! Do I hear $500? Anyone bid $500?"

Catherine held up her hand and yelled, "$700!"

Nick looked relieved as Catherine mouthed, "What are friends for?"

"I've got $700, do I hear $800?!"

"$800!" Wendy shouted.

Hodges glared at her and she said, "What?"

Greg grinned. "I've got $800, and do I hear $850?!"

Mandy tentatively put up her hand. She had been saving for a HD TV, 52 inch screen, but she could spare a bit.

"$900!" She looked over at Nick who was surprised.

"I got $900 over here!" Greg announced gleefully.

"$1500!" someone yelled.

Everyone looked over and saw Detective Loren Johnston who had been 'stalking' Nick for years. She was all boobs, blonde hair, and sexuality.

Nick looked frightened for a second.

Mandy mentally calculated her savings; she had about $2500 in the bank for this TV. She hated using credit cards, preferring the security of knowing credit card bills wouldn't be popping up in her mailbox laughing gleefully at her.

As Greg called for a higher bidder, Mandy made a quick decision; she had a working TV just fine.

"$2000!"

The room went silent as her tablemates stared at her in shock. Nick's jaw had dropped to the ground and Mandy silently said goodbye to her savings.

"$2000 going once, going twice..." Greg looked around then said, "Sold to Mandy Webster."

As Mandy pulled out her cheque book, Wendy leaned over. "Where did you get that much money?"

"I'm frugal," she answered as she tentatively wrote down the numbers and prepared to give the cheque to Greg. She still had $500, so she wasn't entirely out of a TV. Plans just changed.

"It's not going to be worth it," Hodges said. "I mean, you can't buy love."

"I'm not buying love, I'm giving money to a good cause and getting a dinner date out of it is all." She stood up and walked over to Greg who took the cheque while gazing at her in surprise.

As she began to head back to her table to ask Henry to take her home, she felt someone touch her arm.

She turned around and looked up to see Nick Stokes, looking shocked and confused. "Why would you spend money like that for a night out with me?"

"I didn't spend on you, I gave it to charity." She wanted to leave, as suddenly she felt sick to her stomach unsure if it was the money she lost or being up and close personal with Nick. "So we'll talk later, okay?"

Nick nodded at her, "Okay."

xxXXxx

However, it was three weeks later and no date and now no TV. Mandy's old Sony Trinitron bid farewell and headed to the TV cemetery in the sky.

"Face it, Miss Mockery," Hodges said at lunch as he listened to her voice her complaints, "he's just not that into you. Have you read the book?" he continued with his mouth full of chips and dip.

"Yes," Mandy answered blankly, wishing said book was in her hands so she could bash it over Hodge's narrow head.

"Well in this case, he just isn't," Hodges rambled. "I mean, we are talking Nick Stokes here, and he thinks any girl who isn't a supermodel or a cheerleader is just below his standards."

Mandy felt a lump grow in her throat. "Well I guess I'm below his standards then, but he's kind of a self-absorbed and arrogant person anyway. He'll probably die alone because no woman fits his criterion."

So caught up in her rant, she didn't notice Wendy's cues of 'Shut Up!' the DNA tech brought her hand to her throat in a 'cut' form.

Mandy whipped around, and to her horror there stood Nick holding a baggie with a theatre program in it. His face blanched, his eyes went wide, and it was quite obvious he heard every word she said.

"Nick, I .." Words failed as she felt her stomach twist into knots at the sight of his shocked and hurt look. She opened her mouth to say something and clamped it shut. It was a moot point. His face said it all.

After an uncomfortable silent moment, Nick blinked, ran a tongue across his lips, and cleared his throat. "I, um, need you to run this to see if there are any prints on it." He handed her the bag, his mouth formed into a tight, thin line, as if afraid if he opened it, words would spill forth, of which the likes could be not taken back.

"Yeah, I'll get that back to you right away." Mandy took the bag and tried to say something as she looked back up.

Nick had disappeared.

Silence filled the break room once more as Mandy stood wearily up. She felt sick to her stomach and wanted to cry, and looked at the clock. She had an hour left on her shift. She decided she'd leave this with the day tech and make a quick getaway to her car.

"Well I guess you've ruined your chance," Hodges quipped. "Not to mention your job."

Angrily she faced him. "Shut up, Hodges!"

XxXXxx

Nick sat at his desk reading over the latest DNA results Wendy had handed him.

"She didn't mean it."

He looked up at the DNA tech. "Yes, she did," he said in a flat voice. "And I deserved every word of it."

"No, she's angry because, well, she really was looking forward to that date." Wendy folded her arms ready to challenge him. "I mean, I would be pissed off too if I spent that kind of money."

Tapping the file, Nick looked up, cocked his head, and asked, "Is that what you all think of me?"

"Since when do you care what we think of you?" Wendy retorted. "I mean, you all think of us as a bunch of lab rats sitting around looking under microscopes all day."

"I don't." Nick shook his head. "I was a lab rat once long ago." _More than he wanted to admit._

Wendy smiled at him warmly. "Truth be known, Nick, we always, well except Hodges, had a soft spot for you. You've never treated us like we're dorks or geeks."

"That's because I am one...a jock-geek." Nick chuckled. "But thanks, Wendy, that's nice to hear. I just have to make amends with Mandy."

"She's as forgiving as you are." Wendy brightened. "In fact, you guys are kind of alike in that way." With a wink, she turned to leave.

As he watched the lab tech leave, he could still hear Mandy's words in his head.

_Self-absorbed, arrogant, die alone..._

No, that wasn't it. He was following a different path. Nick didn't want to lose his game because his love life permeated the sterile confines of the lab.

And he was sticking to that rule very well, until he danced with Mandy. A moment of closeness to another human being's body, someone who had been an awesome colleague on top of being a great friend, had hijacked his ethics and were holding them ransom until a part of him admitted, a very important part, the part which he thought had stayed in the box while the rest of him escaped-his heart admitted Miss Webster had gotten under his skin.

Damn her!

Checking his watch, he realized he had an appointment to get to. A promise he'd made to some people. A project he'd taken on for a course he had been taking that no one, save Catherine, knew about.

As he walked into the break room he came face to face with Mandy. Her eyes were red and she had slipped on a jacket.

Nick stopped, face determined. "We need to talk. Come with me," he said in a stern voice and could see by the crestfallen look that she was ready to be rebuked.

Instead he walked over to his locker and took out a leather bag and a black zipped up binder.

"You got plans, Webster?"

Mandy eyed him, confused. "Just to go home and chill out for the day."

"Well, change them because you're coming with me. I need your help."

"I'm off duty," she said, nervously.

"This isn't work. This is our date." Nick returned her surprised look with mirth. "I've got a deadline for a project and I could use a hand and then . . .we'll . . . see..how the day goes."

Mandy eyed him with suspicion and curiosity.

xxXXxx

The Vegas Society For the The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals had been looking for a volunteer photographer to do a pet of the week photo, and Nick had been looking for a vehicle to practice a hobby he'd come to love. It was a perfect match.

"Animals are hard to take pictures of," Nick griped as he slung the camera bag around his neck and headed into the building through doors with happy-faced animals on them, the smell of disinfectant filling their nostrils. "They never stay still and they close their eyes when I snap the camera."

"Wow!" Mandy exclaimed as Nick sauntered up to the front desk and signed his name into a book. "This is a whole side of you I never knew existed."

Checking the camera to make sure the settings were in place, he grinned a grin that lit up the room.

"Nobody knows this side of me exists," Nick said and added with a wink, "I keep it well hidden."

"Along with your visits to the porn shop?" Mandy laughed.

"You're a riot, Alice!" Nick scoffed as he headed down the hallway where cats sat comfortably in cages. An orange one reached out and swatted towards the Texan who unhitched his shirt and went about business.

It was a lot harder to take pictures of the dogs, Nick found. Each one was too busy licking his face and at one point he was flat on his back as a Newfoundland dog trampled him, and lavished him with smelly dog breath kisses.

"Now I know how Fred Flintstone felt," he grunted as the fortyish year old female kennel attendant dragged the dog off with a scold.

Mandy stood off behind the fence chuckling as Nick walked over brushing himself off. She wasn't permitted to go into the mini dog park.

"What's so funny?"

"You." She looked up at him, turning her head to one side, feeling her cheeks flush.

xxXXxx

"Well, do you want to pick up some Chinese food and head on back to my place?" Nick suggested as he donned his denim jacket. "My treat of course."

Mandy studied him, watching his hands shove into his pockets, and finally answered in a quaking voice, "Sure." Her heart started to pick up speed.

"Unless," Nick stopped himself. "I'm sorry if . . . I'm out of line."

Sliding her glasses off her face, she answered soberly, "I'd love to come over."

Unease filled the moment as they each studied each other warily.

Now, she had always pictured Nick as military neat to the point of obsessive, so it pleased Mandy to see his house in slight disarray . . . newspapers scattered and in piles and coffee cups filling the sink.

"Sorry. I've been working a lot of different shifts," Nick explained as he brought out some paper plates and cans of iced tea and set them on the table.

"Hey! Mine looks like a hurricane ran through it," she assured him as she checked out his book shelves, noticing a huge set of encyclopaedias.

"Parents bought me that instead of a car for my birthday," Nick called out as he spread the boxes out, opening them and sticking forks in for them.

"Guess they didn't trust you yet," Mandy said as she leaned over and examined a chess set.

"Probably," Nick chuckled as he brought out some candles and lit them. "And I'm sure I wouldn't have given me a car as a teenager either."

He dashed over and turned the lights down, walked back, and motioned to her, "Dinner awaits, madam."

Ducking her head, she walked over to the table where Nick pulled out a chair for her.

They talked shop through dinner. Nick talked a bit about Grissom leaving and the kind words spoken to him.

"That must have meant a lot to you." Mandy poured some sweet and sour sauce over her egg rolls.

"Yeah it did." Nick nodded. "More than he could imagine."

She helped him clean up. Nick told her where the recycling bins were as he scraped the bits of dinner off their plates into the compost bin.

"Wanna see my portfolio?" he asked her after they finished tidying up.

She followed him. "Sure, I'd love to." He blew out the candles on the table and flipped the lights back on.

They sat side by side on the couch; Mandy flipping through the leather bound binder while Nick tried to make some random sense of his newspaper collection. Most were random shots of the dogs, a neighbour's cat, but then she came upon a surprising collection.

"What's this?" Mandy opened up the leather bound binder and gulped. Plastic sheets with black and white photos of a lovely, young and very naked woman were displayed. She looked up, noticing his expression go pallor as he dropped the newspapers.

"I'm not a pervert," Nick explained to Mandy's shock faced. "Those were for my photography class."

"They're beautiful," Mandy said as she slowly flipped through.

"I didn't take them; those are just an idea for a project," Nick admitted, rubbing the back of his neck and clearing his throat. "I've been trying to get in touch with this girl to do some photos for my assignment which is due tomorrow."

"Any luck?" Mandy asked, closing the binder and carefully setting it on the table.

"No," Nick said. "I'll try to get an extension, make up some excuse about work."

Mandy sat up straight, bit her bottom lip and mumbled, "Um, does it need to be her?"

"No, I just figured it wouldn't be appropriate to ask one of my colleagues. Catherine would probably do it, but that would be crossing a line." Nick's jaws worked a bit.

"What about me?" Mandy asked timidly.

Nick's eyes widened. "You?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I'm just...not sure because we work together."

"Well, unless you plan to show it to the lab..."

"No!"

"Then what's the big deal?"

Nick leaned back into the sofa. "I guess it's okay. If you're comfortable with it."

Her stomach coiled, her brain screamed in protest, but Mandy simply said, "I'm comfortable with it."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nick's hands start to tremble as he told her tightly, "Okay, you can change in my room, and there's a blanket on the bed you can use...and...I..." His voice disappeared momentarily before returning, "...will get set up out here...okay?"

Mandy slowly got to her feet, her legs felt wobbly. "Yeah."

Nick's bed was unmade. Mandy slowly undid her clothes...the jeans, the cotton smock, then her sheer bra and matching underwear and then her socks. She was relieved she had painted her toenails just last night. She took some makeup out of her pack and applied some black eyeliner, mascara, and some light pink lipstick. She undid the ponytail in her hair and brushed it out. She glanced at the mirror on his desk and scanned her body. She had to admit she had a nice figure. Not skinny, but curvy. It was reasonable.

Oh forget it; she wasn't comfortable with her body. How could she be when she worked around the likes of Riley, Catherine, and even rail thin Wendy? Seriously! But she had made the offer and was going through with it. And hell, Nick had seen more naked female bodies in his life both dead and alive. So be it. She would display her looks-like-she's-been-breast-feeding-an-elephant-boobs, her thunder thighs and ghetto-girl bum, and Nick Stokes would just have to deal with it. And if he made a comment, she'd come right back with his newly formed Pillsbury Dough Boy belly. It was an unspoken taboo at work as everyone knew how self-conscious Nick was about his looks.

However, as far as Mandy was concerned, Nick would look sexy no matter what. She was a sucker for those big brown eyes and Adam's apple and that smile that exuded warmth and lit up a room. Not to mention his goodies which she had dreamed about at night causing her to pull out a friend from the naughty drawer. Hell, she wanted this guy like no one else. She only wished it were reciprocated.

Checking herself over and assuring she was photo ready, she grabbed a folded, dark grey blanket from the bottom of his bed and wrapped it around under her arm pits. With a deep breath, she opened the door and slowly walked out.

Nick had set up a camera on a tripod in front of the bar and was breezing around when he saw her, his eyes wide, his jaw flexing a bit as he tried to maintain a professional demeanour.

Mandy forced a smile and walked toward him.

Nick ran tongue over his bottom lip and said, "Toga party?"

She laughed, the tension seizing for a second. "You could say that."

Clearing his throat, Nick motioned to a stool in front of the bar. "You can sit here."

Mandy strolled over and asked, "Where do you want me to put the blanket?"

"Um," Nick looked around. "When you sit on the stool, just..." His mouth became dry. "Just let it go..."

Ducking her head, she nodded., "Sure."

As she slid onto the stool, Nick leaned over to check the settings on his camera. Mandy noticed his cheeks were rosy, mouth twitching a bit. He was like that. A window pane of emotions, he was. Whatever his thoughts or feelings, they were all reflected in his handsome face, his eyes in particular, the deepest pools of chocolate she'd ever seen.

She remembered the first few days following Warrick's murder. Mandy had walked by and glanced at Nick as he was processing the car. His eyes said it all. Grief, anguish and pain, but as he glanced up, she scooted on.

Now she was here in his house, naked, and some inkling told her she had gotten under his skin. But she wouldn't dwell on it. She'd been wrong about a lot of things in life, and more than likely this was the case as it could simply be a matter of concerns over a potential sexual harassment law suit.

"Okay." Nick straightened and clasped his hands together, his mouth a straight line. "Anytime you're ready, Mandy dandy, you can drop blanket.."

With a deep breath, Mandy released her death grip on the blanket and felt it slide down her body, draping around the bar stool. Nick looked up and his eyes widened like flying saucers.

_Was that a good reaction or a bad one?_

Clearing his throat, he said, "Um..." He picked up a leather portfolio, flipped through the pages and mumbled, "I'm just gonna...get ideas..." His fingers shook and his jaw clenched.

Self-consciously, Mandy crossed her arms and waited. Deborah Cox sang "Beautiful U R_"._ Nick straightened and then smiled reassuringly at her. "So I think the first thing we need to do is...have a beer."

Feeling her muscles ease, she giggled, "Whatever you've got is fine."

Nick called back, "Corona?"

"Sounds good." She exhaled a breath and then removed her glasses.

Nick brought in two long-necked beers. "Can you see without those things?"

"I'm okay without them." Still covering her breasts with one arm, one leg slung over the other, she took the beer and sipped it. "This helps."

"Glad to hear it." Nick set his beer on a stand near his camera. "Okay, I'm ready."

Mandy sipped the beer and went to set it on the stand while still holding one arm over her breasts when Nick said, "Actually, that's kind of cool." He leaned down and looked through the lens. "Just sit that way and casually hold the bottle."

Giggling, Mandy smiled as Nick snapped the shot.

"No flash?"

"Naw...and these are gonna be black and white."

After a couple of shots, Mandy felt far more comfortable and relaxed. She didn't know if it was the beer or if it was just the ease the photographer had put her in. He had her turn to one side and face him. She turned her back to him and turned to one side.

"You know, you take great a profile, Mandy," Nick said as he carefully lifted the camera up and moved a bit closer.

A thudding sound in her chest touched off her breathing as she felt him step closer. "Lift your hair off your ear and look toward that picture over there," he said, his voice low. She could smell his cologne. "Like this." He swept a few strands behind her ear. The touch of his hand emitting goose bumps to rise on her skin. "There." She heard a click.

"You know you've had your arms across your chest the whole time," he said. "Do you want the blanket back?"

"Do you need more photos?"

"If you don't mind." He cleared his throat. "But if you want the blanket back..."

Taking a deep breath, she uncrossed her arms off her chest. "Do you want me to go to the bed?"

Nick's eyes, which were already wide, widened even more as she clarified, "I mean, the couch."

Nodding, he said, "Yeah, that would be good." He scanned the photos on the camera, and while Mandy scooted over to the couch, he surreptitiously stole a glance at some of her goodies.

When his head wasn't on a case, Nick had checked out what he could on the lab tech's body. She certainly wasn't rail thin or fit like he liked his women, but she had a nice shape to her. He had the arduous task of trying to visualize her body through the shapeless lab coats she wore. Sometimes she removed them and wore some lovely form fitting clothes, sending his mind into the gutter as he watched her cute little wiggle when she flitted about the lab.

His mind was certainly hovering near the gutter as he watched Mandy gracefully spread out on his couch like a relaxed kitty cat.

Nervously, Nick walked over and sat down on the coffee table.

"Put your arm over your head." He leaned over and gently took her wrist. "Like this." Mandy swallowed hard to avoid his eyes, afraid she might yank him down on top of her.

Cradling her head on her arm, she smirked, "Good thing I shaved today."

Snorting, Nick looked through the lens and snapped a photo. "You're a comedian, Webster." A click and a grin. "And a cute one."

"I know it." She smiled up at him as he took a photo, watching his hands quiver.

"Do you mind lying on your stomach ?" Nick asked. "You sort of remind me of a cat. Sleek."

She rolled over and placed her head on her hands and smiled faintly. His compliments like music to her ears.

"That's a good one." He snapped a photo. He was glad for cargo pants and kept moving to avoid any suspicions.

"So why did you take up photography?" Mandy asked.

Nick continued on and asked, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"Shortly after Warrick died, I visited the grief counsellor."

"Really?" Mandy exclaimed. "I thought you were so against it."

"I was, but then I was having trouble sleeping and I was kind of seeing him, like on the street." Nick paused as Mandy nibbled on her bottom lip, "So I went to see her and she suggested I try something outside of work. I tried exercising, but Warrick and I used to do that together, and well . . . it was too close to home, so she suggested I try something completely different."

Nick held the camera up. "I decided to photograph living things instead of dead things. I got the idea from an e-mail from Sara Sidle."

Mandy stared at him while he snapped away and watched as his expressed seemed to change as he fiddled with the camera. "I'm not...really all that arrogant or self-absorbed. I'm sorry about not keeping my end of the deal."

Propping herself on her chin she shrugged. "I was angry when I said all those horrible things."

"I know, and you had a right to be angry. I was kind of...chicken shit...to ask you on a date."

"Why?"

Nick took a swig of beer. "I don't know. I don't date people I work with."

"We weren't going on a _date_ date." Mandy laughed and reached out. "I downed mine a long time ago."

"You want my backwash." Nick grimaced.

"I'd be honoured to drink your backwash." She took a sip and it dawned on her that he was watching her a little more deeply. She handed back the bottle and wiped her mouth. "What do you want me to do now?"

"Oh, um." Nick smiled. "I think that's it." He went to get the blanket for her and returned it as she sat up.

She breathed a sigh of relief, but felt a little disappointed, but she wasn't sure why.

Mandy stood up just as Nick held the blanket to her and their eyes met again. They held each other's gaze in a weary, longing expression. Words drifted between them. Finally, she leaned forward and lightly kissed his lips, waiting for the reproach. It didn't come, so with heart racing and stomach twisting she whispered, "Sorry."

"For what?" he asked. He let the blanket slide down to their feet as he took her chin and lifted it up to meet his gaze, his eyes gone dark with anxious longing.

"That was out of line. You're kind of my boss now."

"No, I'm not." Nick's chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he was still holding her quivering chin. "I'm not anyone's boss." He smiled warmly, "Maybe Greg, Ray, and Riley's, but not yours." With his other hand, he grasped the back of her neck. "Believe me, if you hadn't kissed me, I'd have done it a long time ago."

Mandy stepped over the linen and leaned in for another kiss. This time she pressed her naked body against his clothed one, hooking her fingers around his neck. Their lips meeting over and over again with tongues at combat.

Finally, they came up for air as he gasped, "I shouldn't be doing this." He answered her quizzical expression with, "Jesus, you're naked in my house and all I wanted was some damn photos, and. . . ." Nick pressed lips together, stalled by fears of reprisal.

With an intense gaze, Mandy asked "Do you want this?" Her hands grasped his shoulders, feeling a tiny shiver at the eroticism of this moment. Through his cargo pants, she felt what she had suspected was there and liked it.

A tense pause hung between them.

"I. . . .," Nick finally rasped as his hands seemed to develop a mind of their own and started sailing up and down her back until they reached the base of her spine and hung there. "I don't want to get in trouble, but yeah I do, and not just this."

Mandy's eyes were rueful as she let go of his shoulders, reached down, and gently coaxed his hands to the swell of her cheeks, directly above her thighs. Her arms done with the task reached up and entwined themselves around his neck as she kissed him, her tongue sliding into his mouth as he squeezed her ass tightly, grinding himself into her wishing his clothes would just dissolve of their accord.

She lifted one leg up and draped it around his ass while his hand splayed and caressed her thigh before moving over and sliding gently down the inside of her thigh to her drenched curls. His fingers took charge and dove in. Mandy arched her neck as she whimpered with the sweet sensation. His lips were leaving a delicious trail along her neck as his breathing grew laborious.

Finally, he had enough, and to her surprise he placed both hands under ass and lifted her up. Her head snapped up and they came face to face as he asked her, face beet red, "I wanna...go...I want this in the bedroom...are you okay with that?" Her legs wrapped around his waist. Their breathing laborious, their eyes fixed on another with desperation and need.

Sighing, she answered with a nod as words seemed to have forsaken her. She felt herself being carried to the bedroom, listening to him promise all sorts of naughty things for the next few hours, her sex jolting with each rough whisper.

Setting her down on wobbly legs, she snatched the end of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. Mandy licked the bottom of her lip in anticipation as she undid his belt and roughly pushed down his pants and boxers.

Stealing another glance, she noticed his apprehension.

"I'm sorry if I'm being too aggressive..." She bit her lip.

He shook his head furtively. "Hell no!" He held her shoulders. "I've always been worried about dating a co-worker. There are rules, policies. What if this doesn't work out?"

"It doesn't work out, so be it." Mandy took one of his hands and kissed it. "I can handle it. Don't let fear stop you. What would you rather, Nick? Be alone? Because I've been alone for a very long time and it sucks." She watched him as he nodded in agreement with her. "I'll take the chance, the risk and the pain that comes from the risk." She kissed him once more and whispered, "And not a word to anyone about us, okay?" She brought one of his hands to her mouth and sucked each digit before gently placing it on her chest.

"I can keep a secret," Nick mumbled. "And I'll take the risk with you."

His hand stayed there for a bit and then began to crawl to her breast, where it inched around it, rolling his thumbs around the rock hard nipples. Mandy returned the favour by reaching down and stroking his length, their lips gathering again.

Nick eased her down onto the bed where he began to use his hands and mouth to explore her body, beginning with her breasts which he sucked and licked. She grabbed the railings on his bed and arched upward as she felt his tongue licking his way around her, moving downward where his hand had already coaxed her nub into the open.

"I want..." she moaned, "to feel you inside me...please..." She bit her knuckle.

"Patience..." he whispered as he bit her belly slightly. His breath felt hot, then she was covered with his mouth. She cried out his name as his licks were gentle then harder as his hands lifted her by the thighs and her legs were slung over his shoulder.

Panting, Mandy bit her knuckles as her nether regions throbbed madly with the stimulation. One of her hands slipped down and grasped his hair as his mouth consumed her pussy.

Her mouth dry from breathing, Mandy perched herself on her elbows. "Please...dammit...please."

She fell back and felt his face looming over hers as he chuckled, "Well if you're saying please..." He rose up with a triumphant smile

Kneeling, he reached for the package of condoms in the drawer and with a leer he asked, "So what colour would you like?" Nick held them like playing cards. "Red, blue, purple, neutral, or black?"

Mandy stared at him incredulously for a moment, and then laughter pealed from her as she asked, "Where did you get those?"

Nick looked at her. "Riley. She has a friend who works at a free health clinic for youth and she came and dumped a bunch on our desks." Nick then smirked. "Greg and I taped a couple onto her monitor in the shape of a happy face."

"You guys are nuts!" Mandy laughed her head lying on an arm. Then gnawing on her bottom lip she pointed to the red one and said, "Let me put it on."

After freeing it from the package, she sat up and slowly and deftly slid it on, rolling up the shaft carefully then laying back as he collapsed on top of her, her legs spread wide to give him as much access as possible.

His face grew solemn as his hips rolled into motion, jack-hammering into her. Trying to stay focused on reciprocating the wondrous feelings he wished upon her, Mandy traced the laugh lines on his face noting how beautiful he was. Yes, handsome was certainly the more appropriate adjective, but he was beautiful at this moment, so focused and intense. Her hands ran through his damp hair, inhaling his sweaty and musky scent.

Pressure mounted in her centre as Mandy gripped his shoulders and rolled her head from side to side as she felt his balls crashing into her over and over again. He fucked fast, then slow and deep. Her body responded as if by some unknown force. It wasn't their bodies connecting, it was more than that. This was more about reaching inward, two souls needing one another.

Deep-seated desire from years of longing emerged from a dormant place as she ran her fingers down his spine, landing on his quivering cheeks and gripped them. She whimpered for him to go faster. He obliged, but before she fell over the edge he slid his hands under her and while still connected he rolled her on top of him.

Sitting up, Mandy caught her breath, placed her palms on his belly for leverage, and then began to rock, moving her hips in a figure eight motion, twisting, clenching him tightly. She ran her hands up and down his chest before leaning over and feeling his lips suck greedily on a nipple. He popped that one out and went for the other. Moving down, she hovered over him kissing every single inch of his face, licking his ear, and ran her tongue down his neck until she found a nipple where she flicked it. He groaned and thrust upward.

Sitting up, he gently eased her off, much to her reluctance, but he whispered he wasn't yet done. She couldn't remember being with someone who was this raw in his lovemaking. Hell, this was better than some of her daydreams, night dreams, bathtub dreams, shower dreams, and any other dreams she'd had about the guy.

Mandy lay on her side and felt him draw one of her legs over his hip as he entered again. She gasped.

"Christ, I love this position!" she cried out as he rammed her over and over again, a hand splayed over her breast. His breath was hot and heavy in her ear as she leaned back with a moan and gasped as another plateau beckoned her. Before she reached it, he pulled out again and as she cried in frustration, he flipped her over onto her stomach, knelt behind and lifted her hips. Mandy braced herself on her elbows and was overcome with the glorious sensation of him entering her, satisfying he need again. Her near-spent body had become a rag doll for him to do whatever he wanted with and she was going to let him.

Skin on skin slaps, paced with grunts and groans, reverberated in the room as Mandy grabbed the bed railings, sweat dribbling down the side of her face. Blissfully, she looked around to confirm this was happening. _This was really, really happening._

She caught his eye and whispered hoarsely, her throat dried from endless breaths, "Please...I wanna see your face when you come." She gripped the rumpled sheet so hard her knuckles went white.

Once more, she found herself spun onto her back again, her legs going spread eagle as he drilled into her groaning, "I can honour that request." He twisted his pelvis and was almost circulating in her pussy. She grabbed his shoulders and arched back, feeling a tongue flick her nipples.

Looking back up his eyes were hooded and glassy as waves and waves enveloped them both.

Her head falling to one side, Mandy mewled and bucked her hips upward meeting his every thrust in a primal synchronicity, and she couldn't remember feeling this way with any man she'd slept with, and she had had her share. Nick wasn't the only player in this bed.

Digging her nails into his back, she felt a hand slip in between them and simultaneously stimulate her clit, and that's when it hit her. Her body contracted and she stiffened as her vision blurred. In the midst of it, his own orgasm started. Mandy's ears were filled with a deep moan that vibrated through his body as it slumped on hers, panting.

Nick held her tightly, trying to comprehend what just happened. This was unfamiliar territory for him. He'd broken a very cardinal rule. This was supposed to be a date. A date! And he wound up sleeping with Mandy

But damn was it good! Her body became like clay for him to mould into whatever he wanted. During the photography session, he struggled to keep his cock in check as it was betraying him every step of the way. Jesus, it had been When he brushed her hair back over her ears and saw goose bumps rising, he had to stop himself from ravishing her there on the stool. When she lay on her stomach, his mind dove into the gutter with all kinds of ideas of what he'd like to be doing to that glorious ass of hers.

But what next? He felt her sit up, pull the sheets over them, and slide down into his arms, a tentative hand lying on his chest. Truth be known, this was more. That's what freaked him out. Now that she was here, he wanted her to stay on. His soul had been in darkness for too long and now he found she was an anchor, a get out of jail free card for him to leave the darkness.

The death of someone close to you was like that. He had changed after Warrick died. He felt dead inside. With one kiss, Mandy breathed life back into him. Revived and illuminated him. No stupid rules about dating were going to stop him now.

Nick rolled slowly onto his side and kissed her cheek as he asked, "Any regrets?"

Turning to face him, she sighed. "None!"

"Good," he answered and saw her eyes widen. He ran a thumb across her cheek, index finger on her chin. "You spent $2000 on something you could have gotten for free had I just asked. I wanted to ask you on a date, but I was chicken shit." he explained.

Mandy smiled crookedly. "I guess I could have asked you."

Nick nodded, "Yes, you could of."

"Would you have said yes?" Her brown eyes darted about nervously unsure if she wanted to hear that answer or not.

"Yes, because when I'm around you, I smile." Their hands entwined before he pulled Mandy on top of him, his hands cupping her head as they kissed passionately. As they parted he asked, "So what were you saving the money for?"

Cocking her head to one side, she sighed sadly. "A new TV, a 52 inch HD."

"Oh," Nick said. "You don't have one?"

"I don't have any TV. Mine broke after the auction."

A smile crossed Nick's face as he said. "Guess you're going to have to come here to watch TV?"

"That doesn't sound so bad." Mandy answered and kissed him on the nose, "But I don't think we'll be watching much TV."

"So this has been money well spent?" he asked as he leaned over to grab another condom and wondered if they were going to need more.

Mandy took it from him and answered, "Absolutely." Then she kissed him, whispering, "It was worth every dime."


End file.
